Baseball game



Sept. 15, 1970 s. A. WARNER 3,528,661

BASEBALL GAME Filed Aug. 9, 1968 2' Sheets-Sheet 1.

INVENTOR.

STANLEY/A. WARNER ATTORNEYS Sept. 15, 1970 s. A. WARNER 3,528,661

BASEBALL GAME Filed Aug. 9, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet FfGZ ' F/G3 1 75. 4 1 7G5 F/G 6 F/G7 r /O -A r I F K v rr BY 1 DOUBLE SINGLE PUD WILD PH'CH 1 BUNT gm 5 PITCHED BALL SEQUEU 2 355 5EQUEL= O I RECORD: TEE I k 1 RUN I BHLLOMBAYTER' K k SHCWH CE FLY sEQUELz DOUBLE SEQUEL'- RECORD: RECO R0 ST: 20m RECORD: ;s IOUT 2ND: l RUN 2 RUNS 2": I RUN DOUBLE PLAY SEQUEU INVENTOR, STANLEY A. WARNER K F/GS F1679 FIG/O A'r-roRNEYS United States Patent US. Cl. 27393 11 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An amusement game in the form of a tabletop baseball game having a board with a baseball diamond displayed thereon. The bases are provided with apertured blocks for receiving player pieces representing runners on base. A plurality of decks of cards are provided in trays, each deck having numerous cards. The rear face of each card of the various decks indicates a particular base situation and the front face indicates a baseball play with the attendant results imprinted thereon. Dice are rolled to indicate strikes, balls, foul balls and whether a card may be selected from one of the decks, the deck from which the card is withdrawn dependent on the position of a runner or runners on base. Slide means having indicia thereon displayed through windows on the board record the play-by-play status of the game as it progresses.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to games played for amusement and, more particularly, to a new and improved tabletop baseball game.

Amusement games, played with cards and based upon the nationally recognized methods and rules of the playing of baseball, are known. Generally, these games require a thorough familiarity with the rules of baseball and include risks and strategy which may be optionally exercised by the players whereby more than mere chance is involved in playing the game. The success of the players depends upon their knowledge of the science and strategy of baseball.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides an amusement game in the form of a tabletop baseball game which is highly entertaining and instructive and which requires only a fundamental knowledge of a few basic rules of baseball in which the success of the players is dependent strictly on the element of chance.

Generally speaking, the game is played on a playing field which includes a diamond with playing yieces representing runners on base. A plurality of decks of cards are provided, each deck pertinent to a particular situation on the bases. Each deck contains numerous cards outlining various plays and the results of the play. Dice are rolled to determine strikes, balls, foul balls and whether a card may be selected from one of the decks, the deck utilized being dependent on the position of the runners on base. Indicating means are provided on the playing field to record the play-by-play status of the game as it progresses.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES FIG. 1 is an isometric view of an amusement game board constructed in accordance with the principles of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the plane of line 22 of FIG. 1; and

FIGS. 3-10, respectively, illustrate the front and rear faces of a typical card appearing in each of the eight decks of cards.

3,528,661 Patented Sept. 15, 1970 DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings, it will be seen that a board, comprehensively designated 10, comprises a rectangular lower base 12 and a rectangular upper panel 13 (FIG. 2) suitably secured to each other with the upper panel 13 having a baseball diamond 14 disposed on the upper surface thereof centrally of the sides of the board 10 and towards the bottom thereof. The baseball diamond 14 comprises home plate 16, first base 18, second base 20, and third base 22, the three bases 18, 20 and 22 comprising substantially square shaped blocks 24, 26 and 28 mounted on the upper panel 13 and having apertures 30, 32 and 34 therein, respectively, for receiving dowel pins 36 which represent the player pieces. Six such pins or player pieces 36 are utilized, each set of three representing runners of each team on base and being colored differently from the other set. If desired, a block having an aperture therein may also be provided for home plate and a set of four player pieces for each team may be provided to include the batter at home plate.

A rack 38 is provided adjacent the left end bottom corner of board 10 and has a plurality of openings 40 for receiving the player pieces 36 when not in use. Also, a substantially rectangular cavity 42 is provided at the left end bottom corner of board 10 for accommodating a pair of dice 44 which are used in the course of the game as will be hereinafter fully explained. The terms top, bottom, upper, lower, right and left and similar terms of position or direction as used herein refer to the illustration of FIG. 1 and are used only for convenience of description and should not be construed as limiting the scope of this invention or as implying a necessary positioning of the structure or of portions thereof.

The board 10 is provided with eight card receptacle trays 46 located in the outfield or outwardly of the baseball diamond 14 for receiving eight decks of cards 48, 50, 52, 54, 56, 58, 60 and 62, each pertinent to a particular situation on the bases as hereinafter explained. It will be seen that the trays 46 have walls 64 which extend only partially about the peripheral edge of the cards, thus leaving at least one corner open to facilitate the removal of only the top card from its stack. If desired, the walls 64 may be of an inverted V-shape in cross section to further expedite the removal of the cards from the trays 46. The panels of the board 10 may be formed of any suitable lightweight material, such as plastic by way of example, and secured together by a suitable adhesive. The projections and depressions constituting the blocks, the rack, the trays, the cavity, the windows, and the slots for each indicating means may be formed by a conventional molding operation.

Also mounted on the board 10 inwardly of the sides and toward the bottom thereof are a plurality of recording or indicating means, generally designated 66, 68, 70 and 72, having slides 74, 76, 78 and 80, located between the panels 12 and 13 and on which are printed appropriate numerals, which may be successively displayed through windows 82, 84, 86 and 88 cut through upper panel 13 below the printed designations BALLS, STRIKES, OUTS, and RUNS per inning. Since the slides are of an identical construction and all function in the same manner, it is believed that a detailed description of only one, such as slide 80, for example, will suflice, it being understood that the same reference characters Will be applied to identical elements, the only difference being in the length of the slides and their associated slots.

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, slide is shown in a fully extendedposition and is disposed in a recess 89 provided in base member 12. Slide 80 has a pair of vertically extending wires 90 extending from a hook 91 at one end of the slide upwardly through slots 94 and 96 in the upper panel 13 and which are bent inwardly at their upper ends into the opposite ends of a handle 102 for actuating the slide linearly. Slide 74 carries the following indicia on its upper surface: 1 2 3 WALK; slide 76 carries the indicia 0 1 2 OUT; slide 78 carries the indicia O 1 2 SIDE RETIRED; and slide 80 carries numerals from 0 through 10.

A label 99 is located below the ball and strike indicating means 66 and 68 and carries the following instructions: Zero both boxes after each time at bat. Instructions are also displayed on a label 101 below the out and runs indicating means 70 and 72 which read, Zero both boxes after each half inning.

The inner surface of the top cover (not shown) for the board 10 can be employed as the surface on which the dice 44 are rolled and is preferably lined with a thin layer of simulated felt to facilitate an even roll of the dice. AlsO disposed on the panel 13 within the confines of the walls of a rectangular bottom cover (not shown) in any available space is a collapsible dice cup 104 and scoring pads 106. The scoring pads may be of two types: (1) a simple pad consisting of a plurality of sheets, each having two horizontal columns for recording runs per inning in separate boxes with the total score entered at the end of each column; and (2) a comprehensive box scoring pad consisting of a plurality of vertical columns with either real or arbitrary names of the players listed in batting order in the first column and the result of their times at bat in inning-by-inning boxes in adjacent vertical columns.

FIGS. 3-10 illustrate the rear and front faces of a typical card appearing in each of the eight stacks of cards. There are eighteen cards in each of the eight decks and each deck has a similar baseball diamond design on the rear face of its respective cards, but is distinguished from the other decks diagrammatically in representing the situation on the bases, or in other words an offensive play situation. All of the base situations possible are included and are illustarted on the rear faces of the cards as follows:

FIG. 3no runner on base;

FIG. 4runner on first base;

FIG. 5runner on second base;

FIG. 6runner on third base;

FIG. 7runners on first and second bases, respectivey;

FIG. 8runners on first and third bases, respectively;

FIG. 9runners on second and third bases, respectively;

FIG. 10runners on first, second, and third bases, respectively.

The front face of each card shown in FIGS. 3-10 is exemplary of a typical play, the sequel thereof, and a record as the result of a time at bat. For example, in FIG. 3, the front face 49 of the card 48 bears the inscription, Hit by pitched ball and diagrammatically shows the sequel of a runner on first base as a result of the play. Since there are eighteen cards in deck 48, it will be appreciated that eighteen various plays can be conducted and, if the front face of the card bears the inscription Home run, the record will also be indicated as follows: Record: 1 Run.

Again, by way of example, the rear face of card 50 (FIG. 4) indicates the existing situation of a runner on first base and the front face 51 of the card 50 is labeled a Double. The sequel diagrammatically illustrates that the batter is positioned on seocnd base while the runner who was stationed on first base has scored and the Record indicates 1 Run. The instructions located on the lower portion of some of the cards may indicate a sequence to be followed such as 1st and 2nd. See the front face 63 of card 62 (FIG. 10), by way of example,

wherein a sacrifice fly generally scores a runner from third base to score a run as indicated on the front face 63, but if two outs had been previously recorded, the runner does not score and the team is retired. Sample front face plays together with the Sequel and Record are shown for each of the base situations appearing on the rear face of the cards 52, 54, 56, 58, and 62 in FIGS. 5-10, it being understood that there is a comprehensive variety of eighteen plays for each base situation.

The upper surface of the panel may be colored green to simulate a baseball field with the bases being white. Each deck of cards may be colored various shades of green, as desired, or any other color which would present an attractive appearance.

The game can be played by two players whereby each represents one of the teams or the game can be played by a number of persons up to eighteen which would constitute nine per team. In the latter instance, one person from each team is designated captain. The two opposing captains roll the dice to determine, by the higher total roll, which team bats first and becomes the visiting team. A name for each team is selected and entered on the score pad with the visiting team being first. In using the more comprehensive box scoring pad, the

batting order of real or arbitrary names are entered inappropriate spaces on the pad. The various indicating means 66, 68, and 72 are set at zero.

Before the contest begins, the decks of cards are shuffied and placed face down in their respective trays 46 on the panel 13. It desired, two or more decks can be shuffled simultaneously and, with the rear faces of the cards exposed, the decks can be readily separated and collated. After a home run card is drawn during the course of play and the play completed on the field, the card is returned to the deck and the cards are reshuffled. Any stack or deck of cards can be shuffled by the lead-off batter at the beginning of any half inning. A used card can be either returned to the bottom of its respective deck or discarded in a separate pile until the end of the half inning.

In playing the game, the visiting team starts by batting with a roll of the dice. A roll of any combination, except doubles, totaling less than seven, i.e. three, four, five or six constitutes a ball. Any roll, excepting doubles, totaling more than seven, i.e. eight, nine, ten or eleven constitutes a strike. Any doubles rolled, such as two sixes, two fives, etc. constitutes a foul ball. Any combination rolled totaling seven permits the player to draw the top card from one of the stacks, depending on the base situation, and requires him to comply with the directions appearing on the front face of the card. If a player rolls a seven at the start of a half inning for example, he will draw a card from the none on deck 48 and comply with the directions found on the front fact 49 of the card. If a seven is rolled with a runner stationed on first base, the player will draw a card from the top of the deck 50, which indicates the situation that a runner is located on first base, and comply with the directions located on the front face 51 of the card. The game progresses in this manner to its conclusion.

Balls, strikes, outs, and runs per inning are recorded on the indicating means 66, 68, 70 and 72, respectively, by manipulating their respective slides to expose the numerals thereon through their associated windows to maintain a play-by-play status of the grame as it progresses. Also, a record is maintained on the scoring pad in inning-by-inning boxes.

A significant feature of this invention is that, with the execption of a few basic points, familiarity with the detailed rules of baseball is not necessary since the cards completely explain each play.

The only basic points to be remembered are as follows: (1) After a fourth ball, the batter advances or walks to first base, which is indicated on slide 74;

(2) Three strikes constitute an out as indicated on slide 76;

(3) A foul ball is a strike, but is of no consequence if the batter previously has two strikes against him;

(4) Three outs constitute a half inning and the team batting is retired as indicated on slide 78;

(5) Nine full innings constitute a complete game unless the home team is leading after the visiting team retires after the top half of the final inning; and

(6) additional innings are played to break ties.

The amusement game of the present invention could be slightly modified and would be particularly applicable for institutional use, such as a hospital by way of ex ample, wherein some of the patients may be bedridden. The baseball diamond could be printed on a vertically extending canvas suspended on a tripod apparatus. The runners are represented by discs, each having a hole located adjacent the periphery of the disc adapted to be received on hooks projecting perpendicularly outwardly from the bases of the diamond printed on the canvas. Six such discs would be utilized, a set of three representing runners of each team and colored differently from the other set. A score board may be set up in view of all the player participants illustrating balls," strikes, outs, and runs.

In playing the game, a nurses aide could carry the game carton containing the cards, dice, cup and a board having a simulated felt surface for rolling the dice thereon to each player. Another aide, or a volunteer patient, could position the discs on the hooks of the appropriate bases and manipulate the scoreboard to record pertinent information thereon as the game progresses.

The present invention thus provides an amusement game in the form of a tabletop baseball game which is highy entertaining and requires only a fundamental knowledge of a few basic rules of baseball since the information inscribed on the cards fully explains each play. The rules are simple and can be readily understood by players of substantially all age groups.

A preferred embodiment of this invention having been hereinabove described and illustrated, it is to be understood that modifications thereof can be made without departing from the broad spirit and scope of this invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An amusement game simulating a baseball game comprising: means having a surface; means on said surface arranged in the pattern of bases of a conventional baseball diamond; means selectively representing offensive players at selected ones of said bases to establish a visual pattern of any one of a plurality of possible offensive play situations; a plurality of decks of cards; each of said decks containing a plurality of cards having front and rear faces; the rear faces of the cards of each deck carrying a first illustration similar in shape to said pat tern of bases; the rear face of at least some of said decks also carrying a situation illustration visually indicating the location of ofiensive players in each of said plurality of possible offensive play situations; said situation illustrations on certain of said decks being different from the situation illustration on certain others of said decks; the front face of each card having information displayed thereon pertaining to a single play with the result of the play diagrammatically illustrated thereon; and a pair of dice, the drawing of a card being determined by the outcome of a roll of dice.

2. An amusement game according to claim 1 wherein said first mentioned means is a board formed of plastic.

3. An amusement game according to claim 1 including a plurality of indicating means located on said surface for recording appropriate information as the game progresses.

4. An amusement game according to claim 3 wherein each of said indicating means comprises a slide movable beneath said surface, said slide having an upper surface with recording indicia imprinted thereon, and a window in said surface for each indicating means for exposing said indicia.

5. An amusement game according to claim 1 wherein said means arranged in said pattern of bases comprises blocks having apertures therein, respectively; and said means selectively representing said offensive players comprises pins insertable in said apertures.

6. An amusement game according to claim 5 including a receptacle mounted on said surface and having apertures therein for receiving said pins when not in use.

7. An amusement game according to claim 1 including a plurality of trays mounted on said surface for containing said decks of cards, respectively, and disposed outwardly beyond the periphery of said baseball diamond.

8. An amusement game according to claim 6 including a cavity in said surface for containing a pair of dice.

9. An amusement game according to claim 2 wherein said board comprises a base member and a panel secured to and overlying said base member.

10. An amusement game according to claim 7 wherein said base member has a plurality of recesses for receiving a plurality of slides having upper surfaces with recording indicia imprinted thereon; and a plurality of windows in said panel associated with said slides, respectively, for exposing said indicia of said slides, respectively.

11. An amusement game according to claim 8 including means connected to said slides and extending through said panel for manually moving said slides.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,088,492 7/ 1937 Stowe.

2,528,029 10/1950 Brown 27393 2,742,290 4/ 1956 Fasana.

2,933,316 4/1960 Mancini.

ANTON O. OECHSLE, Primary Examiner P. E. SHAPIRO, Assistant Examiner 

